By order of FIFA, the Haiti national team changes its shirt sports

The Haiti national team was forced to change the jerseys of its players participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup after FIFA said it constituted a violation of its regulations on political speech.

Sportswear manufacturer Saeta said on Wednesday that it cooperated with the Haitian Football Federation to design the shirt, which it described as “celebrating the pride, determination and spirit” of the Haitian people, and was not intended to make a political statement.

The shirt rejected by FIFA bears a scene expressing the country’s battle for independence.

The Colombia-based company added in a statement: “During the review process, FIFA concluded that some visual elements could be interpreted differently under its regulations relating to sports equipment, and ultimately requested modifications to the design.”

The statement added: “Although this interpretation is not in line with what we intended, Saitta respected that process and implemented the final requirements communicated to it by FIFA.”

Haiti begins its World Cup campaign by facing Scotland in Group C next Saturday in Boston.